The Concrete Jungle Book

The idea of travelling outside of India brings out the best of us (I mean Indians) from within. Suddenly we are the most polite, soft-spoken, and culturally inclined people in the world. But it is a fact no one can deny. Moving on to the reason for this random fact check with you is my recent trip to London. It’s one thing to dream about the place, but another thing to actually get there. As much as VFS global has made visa processing easy, the anticipation of – if the British have stamped you is always there. Though considering we have been slaves for 200 years under them, it’s ironic how we still wait for their stamp of approval.

Once the suspense is broken, the planning begins. You will decide to do a gazillion things, but the first thing you would do when you land is gape in awe and click pictures of Heathrow Airport. If you are going to London for the first time you would be fascinated by the system, order, and process – and this is just the beginning of your trip. As you take in the London air, you will be overwhelmed by the smell of clean air, beautiful people, bakeries, pubs, and a whole lot of cultures.

First off, irrespective of where on the monetary status line you are – you will take the tube. The tube station is like traffic in India, and tourists are like cows. Everyone is in such a hustle that you feel they need to use the restroom desperately. Tourists on the other hand look like they are at a spinning class – from one poster to the other, they are desperate to get to a destination.

This time when I went, I took my brother along for the first time, and trust me we looked like the characters out of the jungle book, though in a concrete jungle. My brother was Mowgli, my friend Marty was Bagheera and I was Baloo. On the first day, we decided to take off on our greatest adventure ever. 11kms on foot exploring every tourist corner of London. The walk started from Waterloo station – you come out, and the London Eye catches your eye. Magnificent in every way, crowds swarmed to it like there was free gold being distributed. From The London Eye through Covent Gardens all the way to Buckingham Palace and finally ending our journey at London Bridge – this was to be the greatest walk 3 characters have ever taken.

Also read: 34 Unusual Things To Do In London

“Madness is like gravity. All it needs is a little push.”

We had stopped by the M&M store and it is true what the joker said, “Madness is like gravity. All it needs is a little push.” I honestly was smacking my lips like the joker when I saw the chocolate tubes (some parents even took their kids away from a suspicious-looking brown dude). There was enough chocolate there to build a bridge to mars and that was just the beginning of the store.

After being taken to the land of chocolates, my trip to London was only getting sweeter. With picturesque landscapes and frothy beers, there was bliss in introducing and revisiting London at the same time. I know you are quite intrigued by this journey and want to come along, but you will have to wait for part 2 of the “Adventures of the concrete jungle book”. 

Photo Credits : 2,3 Akaash Ampili | www.instagram.com/akaashampili/